Kushina Gaiden: 第二に人柱力九尾の妖狐の
by MaMbMc
Summary: Kushina Uzumaki, twelve-year-old genin kunoichi, is the second Jinchuriki to hold the Kyubi no Yoko of Konohagakure. This is her story.


She leaned her back into the white banister, gathering her long, red hair into a high ponytail, fastening it with the black band around her left wrist. Turning around to gaze at the ocean's waves, she couldn't help but smile. The sea reminded her of a happier time, of her younger self, at home, with her family. She could remember playing in the swirling whirlpools, their beauty almost hypnotic as she picked up a starfish at the water's edge. Her mother's voice, calling her in for dinner, for her grandmother was visiting for the evening.

She never knew her father. He had been killed in battle, leaving her mother widowed before she was born. But, her mother had remained strong and moved on, somehow managing to be a successful kunoichi and still properly raise a child. But, that was somehow not surprising, after all, they _were _the Uzumaki clan of Whirlpool.

But that was all just memories, thanks to this horrible, stupid, useless war. Her precious village had been ambushed, leaving almost everyone in her clan dead. They few that had survived had escaped into hiding, leaving her on her own. If it hadn't been for the alliance with the Leaf Village, she would never had escaped. A group of shin obi had saved her, taking straight to the Hokage himself.

Then she was told the truth. A month after the ambush, she was set to be brought over from Whirlpool to have a demon sealed inside her stomach. Not exactly a warm welcome, but she was never one to favor beating around the bush.

Naturally, she was terrified. She was only six, and having the most powerful of the tailed beast placed inside your body didn't sound pleasant to anyone.

Then she met Mito.

Mito Uzumaki was the first Jinchuriki of the Nine-tailed Fox. In addition to being a relative, she was also the widow of the first Hokage. Everyone in the village respected her.

The old woman comforted her greatly, and even offered a bit of advice. She could remember every word. _"My dear child," _Mito had said, _"There is only one way to completely control the hatred of the Nine-tailed fox: Love. Remember that. Surround yourself with people who love you, and you will always be happy."_

It had taken an hour to complete the sealing. She didn't feel any different afterwards. Well, except for the horrible, terror-filled nightmares. To this day, she still dreamed the same: disturbing accounts of her losing control and killing people who were close to her. It was her deepest fear, and she would do anything to keep it from happening.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, allowing the salty breeze to caress her face. Being on a mission in the Land of Water was nice, especially when you got a hotel close to the ocean.

"Kushina!" Someone called. It fell on deaf ears at first, she was too deep in thought.

"_Kushina!" _They called again, snapping her back to the present.

"Yeah?" She answered turning towards the hotel. Her sensei, Tsunade, and teammates, Ame and Yumi, stood in the doorway, all looking impatient.

Ame Uchiha was pretty stereotypical, as far as her clan's features went. She was pale, and her eyes and hair were almost black. She was just a smidge taller than her teammates, and, as usual, she looked slightly aloof, her mouth pressed into a tight line.

Yumi Namikaze, however, was the complete opposite, her golden-blonde hair pulled back into a long ponytail, her bangs sticking out in all directions. Her blue eyes twinkled as they always did, her tan skin making Kushina and Ame look even whiter than usual. Her arms were crossed over her chest, giving Kushina a slightly stern expression, which looked comical on her heart-shaped face and pixie-like features.

Her sensei, Tsunade, stood a little ways behind her team. She had been calling to Kushina, for they were already prepared to leave the hotel and complete the mission. She was of average height for a woman, and, of course, was at least a head taller than the three before her. Her hair was dark blonde, her eyes brown, and she had her arms crossed in front of her, obviously aggravated. Which was bad. You did _not _want to make Tsunade mad, even though Kushina managed to frequently.

"Kushina, we were supposed to leave half an hour ago, and you're not even dressed! Hurry up, we don't have time for this!" Her sensei said sternly.

"Okay, okay, sheesh. I was just thinking about things, that's all," Kushina grabbed her kimono-style top, fastening it over the tank-top she had slept in. She quickly gathered her things into her backpack, checking to make sure nothing was forgotten.

'Team Tsunade' was the first all-female team to be formed in Konohagakure, thanks to Inoichi Yamanaka, Chouza Amigichi, and Shigaku Nara. Their clans had formed the group Ino-Shika-Cho for hundreds of years, and no one could change the tradition. This year, their team consisted of all boys, making the numbers uneven and forcing the Hokage to put three girls with Tsunade. In Kushina's opinion, this was a good thing. It was easier for all of them to focus without an idiot _boy _around.

She zipped up her backpack and hoisted it onto her shoulders, following the others into the lobby and to the capital of the Land of Water.

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><p><em>So, should I continue? Review, and let me know. :)<em>


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